Hamas looks to join PLO, marking major unification step

Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal made a rare plea on Wednesday for uniting his popular Palestinian Islamist movement with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), bringing it, for the first time, into the umbrella group recognized internationally and by Israel as the representative of the Palestinians.

Russian PM to discuss Israel-PA peace

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is scheduled to visit Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) on November 9 with the aim of advancing the peace negotiations between the sides, i24news reported Sunday, citing a report on the PA’s official television station.

UNESCO officially adopts controversial Jerusalem resolution

UNESCO’s executive board formally adopted a controversial resolution Tuesday morning which Israel has said denies the deep historic Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem—and that has angered Israel’s government and many Jews around the world.

Worshippers flock to Jerusalem ahead of Yom Kippur

Thousands of Jews have been attending the traditional Selichot (penitential) prayers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in recent days, ahead of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur.

Obama and Netanyahu to meet Wednesday

The meeting was agreed upon following talks between the Prime Minister’s Office and the White House and was confirmed after the signing of the new US-Israel military aid package. It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since November 2015 and likely be the last as Obama approaches the conclusion of his presidency.

US and Israel conclude landmark 10-year defense deal

The United States and Israel have concluded a landmark aid agreement worth at least $38 billion, the largest pledge to an ally in American history, which will govern their defense relationship through 2028.

Israel girds for Golan war with Iran, Hezbollah

Amid the carnage of Syria’s civil war, well into its sixth year, Is­raeli military chiefs say that Iran and its prized proxy, Hezbollah, are surrepti­tiously seeking to establish a new front in an older conflict, the Iran-backed group’s 30-year war against the Jewish state that until recently was waged almost exclusively from neighboring Lebanon.

Mahmoud Abbas agrees to talk with Netanyahu in Moscow

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to direct talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Russia, Interfax news agency cited the Palestinian embassy in Moscow as saying on Monday.

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